


out of order

by bimbosupremacy



Category: Brandon Rogers - Fandom, Magic Funhouse (Web Series)
Genre: Best Friends, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of Crying, No shipping, Other, Tumblr Prompt, acknowledging trauma, arlo is hurting but he gets the necessary comfort, but manjusha and arlo are the main focus, caregiver manjusha, dave sucks, give us season 3, i don't know whether to be concerned or confused about that, idk might make this a series, manjusha deserves the best, mrs. bory forgets about arlo alot, please brandon, poor baby arlo is so emotionally traumatized, saying no to toxic masculinity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25779826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bimbosupremacy/pseuds/bimbosupremacy
Summary: ― ❝ i'm so tired ❞arlo falls into pieces and manjusha by his side is ready to pick him back up.
Relationships: Arlo Dittman & Manjusha, Arlo Dittman and everyone
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	out of order

**Author's Note:**

> i got this idea late at night after finishing the show once again 💋 my first fanfic. posted on here, so please give me criticism !! ♡(˃͈ દ ˂͈ ༶ ) 
> 
> also, sorry if i made manny a bit ooc. even though she calls herself "emotionless," she seems to treat others, especially arlo, with love and gentleness. 
> 
> p.s. i let her call arlo "dear" in hindi because i make the rules, and i live for fluff ^__\

Manjusha was fast asleep late at night when she almost doesn’t hear it; a figment of her imagination, perhaps her ears straining to hear something that might not even be there. 

When suddenly, a muffled sob followed by quiet crying could be gently heard in the quiet of her apartment complex, right outside her door. 

Outright sighing, sleep and small frustration fogging her brain, she threw the covers off and slid her feet into a pair of slippers.

Tentative steps made towards the front door, she called out gently to the person who had disturbed her sleep. "Who is it? Did you know it's midnight?"

A soft whine, who sounded too much like a childish person she knew, came out, before responding in an uncharacteristic timidness, "Manny, it's me. C-can you open up?"

As soon as she heard the usually loud and outspoken boy, she opened up her entrance as fast as she could.

Staring at her was Arlo, with a gaunt pale face that deepened his dark eye bags. She frowned at the sight, seeing that he had isolated himself in his bedroom after visiting Jimmy each day for the past month, Manjusha felt immense guilt for not checking up on the traumatized boy. 

Arlo had grown utterly terrified that if he lost sight, Dave would come back and finish the job and by that, he had managed to not take care of himself.

So she reminded herself that first thing first in the morning, she would cook the boy his favorite breakfast: chocolate pancakes with maple syrup smiles. It was the least she could do to comfort him.

The tall and confident person he is seemed to shrink on himself, who was concerningly shaking.

Either from sleep deprivation or unheard sobs, Manny couldn't place it, but the look of heartbreak reminded her of a lost child who had been betrayed by a close loved one; making her want to immediately bring him inside the apartment and give Arlo the love and comfort he deserved from those years.

The latter seeing as she had all his attention on him, curled in on himself as to make himself even smaller, and spoke with a slight shake in his voice, shuddered breaths coming out, that he hoped wasn't noticeable, "Um-m, Manny?"

Reassuring Arlo that it was alright, she gave him a rare genuine smile reserved for a few and told him to come in. Stepping aside, she gave him space to move in and shut the door behind her.

Manjusha gave him another deep look and saw that he was curling into himself again, wanting to shut down and close his emotions. Wanting to know what was happening and why he came, she asked him with patience, "Arlo, did something happen? I am always able to open my home, प्रिय, but I need to know if you are okay. You also need to get some sleep as well, because you look," she paused, giving him another concerned look, then continuing, "quite exhausted."

Arlo stared off at a lamp in the living room, staring anywhere, but at her, and whispered in a hoarse voice, "I'm tired, Manny."

Tilting her head in confusion, she responded, "Why can you not sleep प्रिय? You can stay in my bedroom and I will sleep on the couch-"

Interrupting her with a sigh, letting out a sob, he said, "It's not that Manjusha. I-I-I can't sleep because I see everything." He answered, ending with a whine, curling up on the sofa in a fetal position. She moved over right beside him and let him rest near her lap, stroking his hair as a way to soothe him.

_____  
His eyes stung with tears no matter how tightly he closed them and his throat burned. He couldn't remember how long it'd been since he'd felt the need to cry so badly. Arlo hoped she couldn't tell, even when his hands reflexively tightened on her.

But something must have clued in. Maybe it was how desperately he clung to her, maybe it was the little hitch of his breath as it caught in his chest, feeling like the stab of a little knife in his lungs, or the dot of moisture in the corner of his eyes he couldn't stop. 

He felt a hand against his cheek and he looked up at her despite his blurry vision. "It's okay to cry, Arlo. Don't hold it all in; let it out प्रिय ", Manjusha said, her voice cracking as if she too might feel like crying. And her words were enough to unlock what little resolve he had left.

It was like a wave of tears exploded out of Steve; he'd hoped if he was going to cry it might be just a few little tears. A crocodile tear, a little sniffle; dignified crying. But that wasn't what came out at all. Tears poured from his eyes as he sobbed so hard he could barely breathe. So deep in his emotion, he could still hear a soft sob come from Manny too. When Arlo's sobs gained volume, Manjusha gripped him tighter.

That's what Manny told him to do and so that's exactly what he did, even though he usually didn't listen to everyone's bull. And it felt good; even though it hurt it was good to let it hurt instead of pretending that it didn't. He'd been pretending everything was okay for so long that he didn't realize how badly it was hurting him.


End file.
